Mike Moe, Managing Director
Made up of nine tourism professionals and four legislators from across the state, the WTMA was created as an oversight board for the new statewide tourism marketing program.
In addition to its favorable WTA decision, the new board had an ambitious agenda to work through in its inaugural meeting. The first task was to elect officers for its Executive Committee. Judy Tuohy of Schack Art Center in Everett was elected as the first Board Chair. Anthony Anton of the Washington Hospitality Association was elected Vice-Chair, Vijay Patel of A1 Hospitality as Secretary, and Robert Lerch of EDI Holdings/Enterprise as Secretary. The WTMA also established three initial committees: Finance, Bylaws, and Policies.
For more information about the new WTMA Board, please click here.
David Blandford and Shiloh Burgess, WTA Board Co-Chairs
There is much work to do as we begin to establish framework for a new tourism marketing program and the decision to pursue a sole-source contract with the WTA will jump-start the program. While the WTA can’t officially begin to market tourism on behalf of Washington State until the contract is adopted and signed by the WTMA, we are working hard to be ready for that day. The WTA board created committees for marketing and outreach to begin planning our path ahead.
The Marketing Committee will execute the statewide tourism marketing plan. Over the next three months, its goal is to build a 2019 marketing program that achieves broad industry support and engagement. The committee will focus on consumer marketing, including brand development and advertising; travel trade and packaged travel development; destination publicity; crisis communications; website, collateral and visitor information development; and destination development.
The purpose of the Outreach Committee is to foster investment, collaboration, and support for the statewide marketing program creating opportunities to procure $3 million in private sector investment in 2019. The Tourism Marketing Bill requires two dollars of industry investment for every dollar procured by the state and the committee will match marketing opportunities with investors. While investment is crucial to the success of the new program, the Outreach Committee will also work to increase awareness of programs that are free for any tourism-related business or organization. This group will work to build relationships with industry groups, Washington-based businesses, as well as local and state government entities.
It’s an exciting time for the tourism industry in Washington state. After seven years, our hard work is paying off and were moving forward with broad support and strong momentum. Please continue to support our efforts and get ready to be involved!<
YOU’RE INVITED TO THE LARGEST EVENT & HOSPITALITY TRADE SHOW IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
With 115,000+ square feet of exhibit space, the re-imagined 2018 Northwest Event Show offers the latest trends and innovations in the event and hospitality industry.
Join Us on October 16, 2018 at the Washington State Convention Center!
Network with 2,500+ of the most qualified event, corporate and meeting planners, including an impressive number outside the Seattle area. One-third of the currently registered attendees are first-time visitors to the show.
The Butler Team encourages you to join more than 250 leading companies who are exhibiting their venues and services to professionals. We are looking to bring in unique event ideas, live entrainment options, fresh décor ideas and unique catering solutions to satisfy anyone’s taste buds.
We invite you to showcase your business at the Northwest Event Show
Butler Events is an award-winning company that places a high value on exceptional customer experiences. That’s why this year’s show has been re-imagined and grown to inspire creativity and networking. The Butler team has gathered some of the most influential people in the industry to be part of the Show and their Show Advisory Board. They’ve partnered with Supirb Events, a media tool, to give attendees a new and exciting way to plan, organize and share information while participating at the event. It is quickly becoming the event where Innovators and Influencers Connect.
Mike Moe, Managing Director
Our monthly eNewsletter and Custom eNewsletter program was also big in 2018. As you know, there are limited spaces available spaces for 2019 are already filling up! If you want advertising space in our eNewsletter or to run a Custom eNewsletter, let us know as soon as possible.
Finally, our most successful program to date has been our Custom Content Creation. Our editors will work with you to write an article about your destination or property. You will get 100% approval throughout the process. Your article will live on ExperienceWA for a full year with an option to renew, and even better, you get to keep the article for your own website forever. One article has had 10,000 page views and generated more than 3,200 clicks to their website in in the last year!
There are so many different ways to reach the qualified audience of ExperienceWA.com. To learn more, please contact Mike Moe at mike@watourismalliance.com or call him at 425-444-0589. Or, click here to view the full ExperienceWA.com Media Kit.
LONG BEACH PENINSULA INVITES VISITORS TO THE WILD MUSHROOM CELEBRATION
WTA THANKS AUGUST MEMBERS
NEW MEMBERS